Brassiere

ABSTRACT

A brassiere constructed to provide improved fit and inherent adjustment for the wearer, by a combination of elements including two elastic cups, two curved and covered wire under-cup supports, an elastic back band construction comprising two back band areas, one for each cup and secured to the appropriate cup supports together with an elastic wedge-shaped area between the cups, each support having its outer end rising above the cup center point to the top of a connected back band, each cup being fulled at its upper margins by means of the contraction of elastic tape means at said margins and leading to the tops of the curved wire undercup supports so that the latter provide fulcrum points.

Elnited States Patent 1 Spetalnik 1 Feb. 20, 1973 [54] BRASSIERE Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson 75 Inventor: Mack Spetalnik, Rutherford, NJ. Lee Helms [73] Assignee: Maidenform, Inc., New York, NY. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: April 15, 1971 A brassiere constructed to provide improved fit and inherent adjustment for the wearer, by a combination [211 App! 134357 of elements including two elastic cups, two curved and covered wire under-cup supports, an elastic back band [52] U.S. Cl ..l28/494 construction comprising two back band areas, one for 51 Int. Cl ..A41c 3/00 each cup and Secured to the appropriate p pp 58 Field at Search ..128/494 427 483 mgether with an elastic wedge-Shaped area between the cups, each support having its outer end rising bove the cu center oint to the to of a connected t a P P P [56] References Cl ed back band, each cup being fulled at its upper margins UNITED STATES PATENTS by means of the contraction of elastic tape means at said margins and leading to the tops of the curved wire 3,411,510 11/1968 Child 128/494 undemup supports so that the latter provide f l 3,528,430 9/l970 Child ...l28/494 points 2,963,023 12/1960 Clover ..l28/483 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBZOW 3', 717. 154

7 INVENTOR. I l MACK SPETALNIK BY F 6.3 J/LJLZM,

' I ATTORNEY BRASSIERE The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is view in elevation showing the front of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the embodiment, partly in section.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 3 3, FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the com-brassiere construction comprises the cups 1, back bands 2 with means for connecting their ends as indicated at 3, FIG. 2, and shoulder straps 4.

The cups and back bands are formed of elastic fabric as indicated by the arrows, and the lower margins have seamed thereto an elastic band 5, FIG. 1. At the center of the cups the back bands merge into a wedge-shaped elastic area shown in the drawings as a continuation of the bands. The top margins of the cups are shirred or gathered by seaming them, when in flat, to the stretched elastic band at the top of the cups, the band being indicated at 6. Thus, when band 6 is released the desired shirring of the cup top margins is effected.

Under the cups the latter are supported by covered wire curved members. In the schematic sectional view of FIG. 3, the wire is indicated at 7, the covering at 8, a cup fabric at 1 and a back band fabric at 2. Each covered wire support rises at its outer end to the lower end of the elastic band 6 at the outer margin of the appropriate cup 1, which normally holds the cup fabric gathered, and therefore the wire support acts as a fulcrum when the brassiere is applied to the wearer and the cup fabric is stretched with band 6, the gathering being reduced or even eliminated in accordance with the size of the breast. Therefore, the elastic gathering or fulling means is caused to shape the cups with improved inherent adjustment and close fit.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the form of the elements constituting the illustrated embodiment, within the spirit of the annexed Claims.

Having described my Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A brassiere adapted to provide improved fit and inherent adjustment, for the wearer, comprising two cups of elastic material, an elastic framing for the cups comprising back band sections joined by a wedgeshaped section at the center of the brassiere front, a covered under-cup support for each cup, each support having conformation with the curvature of its appropriate cup and being seamed thereto with its outer end rising above the cup center point, elastic tape means connected to the cups at their outer marginal areas, each cup being shirred by the contraction of said elastic tape means, each under-cup support at its outer end rising to the lower end of said elastic tape at the outer margin of an appropriate cup and adapted as a fulcrum therefor, the brassiere having stretch throughout except as to said under-cup supports.

2. A brassiere constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the back bands of the brassiere are longitudinally elastic, and a continuous elastic tape seamed to the back bands at their lower margins and extending throughout the bottom of the brassiere structure. 

1. A brassiere adapted to provide improved fit and inherent adjustment, for the wearer, comprising two cups of elastic material, an elastic framing for the cups comprising back band sections joined by a wedge-shaped section at the center of the brassiere front, a covered under-cup support for each cup, each support having conformation with the curvature of its appropriate cup and being seamed thereto with its outer end rising above the cup center point, elastic tape means connected to the cups at their outer marginal areas, each cup being shirred by the contraction of said elastic tape means, each under-cup support at its outer end rising to the lower end of said elastic tape at the outer margin of an appropriate cup and adapted as a fulcrum therefor, the brassiere having stretch throughout except as to said under-cup supports.
 1. A brassiere adapted to provide improved fit and inherent adjustment, for the wearer, comprising two cups of elastic material, an elastic framing for the cups comprising back band sections joined by a wedge-shaped section at the center of the brassiere front, a covered under-cup support for each cup, each support having conformation with the curvature of its appropriate cup and being seamed thereto with its outer end rising above the cup center point, elastic tape means connected to the cups at their outer marginal areas, each cup being shirred by the contraction of said elastic tape means, each under-cup support at its outer end rising to the lower end of said elastic tape at the outer margin of an appropriate cup and adapted as a fulcrum therefor, the brassiere having stretch throughout except as to said under-cup supports. 